Hitching-weight holder.



H. H. TOTHILL. HITGHIN G WEIGHT HOLDERf APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1907.

Patented 0011.274908.

W/TNESSES ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT HOWARD TOTHILL, OF LOCKPORT, NEW YORK.

HITCHING-WEIGHT HOLDER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT HOWARD Tori-ULL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Lockport, in the county of Niagara and Stateof New York, have invented a new and Improved I-Iitching- Weight Holder,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

rIhis invention relates to means for supporting a weight employedtemporarily as a means for putting a check on a hitching strap for abridle, and has for its object to provide novel features of constructionfor the purpose indicated, which are simple, practical and veryconvenient in service.`

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts, as is hereinafter described and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a partly sectional side View of the improved weight holderapplied for support of a hitching weight from a vehiclebody; Fig. 2 isan enlarged, partly sectional side view of the weight support, showingits adjustment when the weight (not shown) is lowered into contact withthe ground; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of aweightsupportingbracket-plate, that is a novel detail, and Fig. t is a perspective viewof a link-plate, that is a novel member of the improvedweight-supporting device.

The weight-block 5, shown for illustrating the application of theimprovement, may be in the form represented or have any other shape thatmay be preferred, but for conveniently connecting said block withsupporting means an eye or ring a is formed or secured on the upper sidethereof, at its center. A hanger-strap for supporting the weight-block 5is made up of a plurality of metal links 6, 6 andan intervening pliablestrap 6b. -It is to be understood that the weight-block 5 is to benormally hung from the floor of a vehicle-body, partly shown at A inFig. l, and to this end a bracket-plate 7 is provided. The plate 7 is inthe form of a preferably oblong fiat block of cast metal, havingperforations b therein near its ends, for the reception of screws and acentral opening c that is marginally rectangular.

Upon one side edge of the opening c, a

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 8, 1907.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Serial No. 401,221.

hook member d is formed, the nose of which is turned upward, and asappears in Fig. 3 the hook Z is widened somewhat, for proper engagementwithin the link plate 6, hereinbefore mentioned.

The bracket plate 7 is seated over an opening in the floor A of theVehicle and secured in place, which will dispose the hook d for a properengagement with the link plate 6, and as indicated said link plate isrectangular edgewise, and near one end is formed with a cross bar ewhereon the hook Z may be hooked as shown in Fig. l. In the portion ofthe link plate that is below the cross bar e, space is afforded for thefree insertion therein of the hook member CZ, and upon the lowertransverse member of the frame of the link plate, one end of the leatherstrap 6b is lapped and secured, thus loosely connecting the link plateand the strap together. The link plate 6a is similar in all respects tothe link plate 6, and upon the upper transverse bar which is an integralportion of said plate, the lower end of the leather strap 6b is lappedand secured.

An S-shaped coupling link 8 is loosely secured by its upper end g, uponthe lower cross bar of the lower link plate 62, and the lower hook-likeend of this coupling link 8 is hooked upon the eye or ring a beforementioned, whereby the pendent support for the weight block 5 iscompleted.

Upon the upper transverse bar of the link I plate G, that is suitablyspaced from the cross bar e, one end of a lifting strap 9 is lapped andsecured; said strap having a suitable length for convenientmanipulation, has a knobbed handle 10 secured thereon to facilitate thelatter.

In the hook-like upper end of the coupling link 8, a ring c' isinserted, from which eX- tends a hitching strap 11 that is shown brokenaway, but in complete form has sufficient length for attachment at itsextended end to the bit of a bridle on an animal.

It will be seen that when the hook member d is engaged with the crossbar on the upper link plate 6, the weight block 5 will be raised fromthe ground sufficiently to effect a releasing of pull on the hitchingstrap l1 and permit the animal. to move freely, the several parts of thedevice then being relatively disposed as represented in Fig. l.

When the animal is to be checked by use of the weight block, the driverseated in the vehicle, by manipulation of the lifting strap 9, raisesthe link plate 6 so as to release the cross bar e from the hook d, andthen moves said link plate away from the hook, which will release thehanger strap entire, and permit the weight block 5 to drop upon theground. The limit of longitudinal movement of the hanger strap isdetermined by Contact of the knobbed handle l0 upon the bracket plate 7,as shown in Fig. 2, which will remove draft strain from the hangerstrap, and also permit of drawing the weight 5 upward, clear of thehorses feet, in case the horse should back up.

It will be seen that if desired the weight block 5 may be raised untilthe lower link plate 6a may have its cross bar e engaged with the hookd, which will hold the weight block suspended closely to the Hoor A ofthe vehicle, but adapted for quick release and dropped adjustment asoccasion may require.

By the construction of parts and employment of the link plates 6, 6a,along with the strap member Gb, the hanger strap is prevented fromtwisting, and while light and neat in appearance, is very strong anddurable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent,-

The combination with a weight-block, and

a hanger-strap having two spaced link-plates,

each formed with a rectangular opening therein, an S shaped linkcoupling the weight-block with one of the link-plates and also couplinga bitching-strap therewith, of a rectangular bracket-plate having arectangular slot therein, a fixed upturned hook formed on a transverseedge of said slot, said hook engaging one link-plate at an edge of itsopening when the weight-block is lowered and the other link-plate whensaid block is raised, and means connected with one linkplate for manualmovement of the weight block.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT HOWARD TO'IHILL.

Witnesses FLOYD A. HAMMOND, FRANK E. ANDERSON.

